I’ve always been known as someone who’s perma-stressed: for whatever reason, my body reacts to everything (even relaxing!) with a sense of urgency. The usual tips offered to reduce stress have never worked for me. It wasn’t until I started searching for unconventional methods that I struck gold: I’m now finally able to successfully reduce my stress level and enjoy guilt-free relaxation.

身边的人都知道我这人总是紧张兮兮：反正，不管遇到什么（哪怕是放松），我的身体总是不自觉地绷紧神经。那些常见减压方法对我从来都不管用。直到我搜索到一些非主流方法才感到称心如意：现在，我总算成功减压，享受无忧无虑的放松了。

Here are 10 unconventional ways to reduce stress that work for me, and I hope you find they work for you too:

下面10个非主流减压方法对我很管用，希望它们也能帮助到你吧。

1. Massage your ears.

按摩耳朵

Massaging your ears to reduce stress is simple, effective, and only takes a few minutes. Gently rub your earlobes with your thumb and index finger, then squeeze the outer edges of your ears from bottom to top. These parts of your ears have reflex points that relax specific areas of your body.

按摩耳朵减压法简单、有效且只需几分钟时间。用拇指和食指轻轻搓揉耳垂，再从下往上按捏耳廓。耳朵的这些部位有反射穴位，能刺激并放松身体的某些部位。

2. Up your intake of vitamin C.

增加维C摄入量

Studies have shown vitamin C reduces both the physical and psychological effects of stress. During uber-stressful times, increase your vitamin C intake.

研究表明，维C能同时缓解生理和心理压力。在压力特别大的时候，可以增加维C的摄入量。

3. Consider your mind a bus terminal.

想象大脑是汽车终点站

When your mind is feeling restless and you’re struggling to calm down, it’s important to find techniques that help you successfully disengage with your thoughts. One that works for me is pretending each thought I’m having is a bus with a sign showing a particular destination: do I really want my emotions to go where that bus is going to take them? If not, I watch it drive away.

当你的思绪乱如麻、必须得冷静下来时，很有必要采取措施有效释放各种想法。有个办法对我很管用：假设每个想法都是有着特定目的地的公交车，那么，我的情绪果真有必要搭乘这辆公交车么？如果不是，那就让这个想法走开吧。

4. Mask jarring sounds.

屏蔽嘈杂噪音

If you live in a noisy building or on a bustling street, the constant noise keeps your mind active and on guard, which also leads to physical stress. Put some soothing music on in the background, or try a white noise machine, which emits a consistent, soothing sound. Ear plugs work, too.

如果你住在闹区或嘈杂街道，那么，无休止的噪音会使神经一直紧绷，最终造成生理压力。这时，你可以听听舒缓的音乐，或尝试使用白噪音软件，因为白噪音能持续释放柔和的声音。另外，你也可以戴耳塞。

5. Surround yourself with calming colors and scents.

让身边充满平静的色彩与气味

Colors such as white, blue, green, and other soft colors will help sooth your nervous system, whereas bright colors like orange and yellow will stimulate and energize you. Create a corner of your home specifically for relaxation. Surround yourself with colors, scents (such as lavender, jasmine, and rose), and items that trigger emotional harmony.

白色、蓝色、绿色或其他柔和的颜色有助于舒缓神经系统，而橙色和黄色等明亮的颜色则会刺激并调动人的神经。在家里专门布置一个放松的角落，选用能使情绪平静和谐的颜色和气味（例如薰衣草香、茉莉香、玫瑰香）。

6. Eat slower.

细嚼慢咽

Not only does it aid healthy digestion, but eating slowly also encourages mindfulness. This is a very challenging habit to develop, especially in a society where we’re constantly bombarded with restless thoughts and feelings of urgency. If all else fails, pretend you’re a restaurant critic who has to review the quality of your meal.

慢点吃饭不仅有助于健康消化，还能保持注意力集中。这个习惯不容易养成，毕竟，当今社会无时无刻不充斥着各种思绪和紧迫感。如果实在做不到，可以假设自己是美食评论家，必须慢慢品尝才能对饭菜作出评论。

7. Talk slower.

娓娓而谈

How do you feel after going on a tangent and talking really fast? Likely, your heart’s racing, your body’s tense and your breathing’s shallow. The next time you’re having a conversation, practice mindfulness: focus on the moment-to-moment banter instead of rushing to the next topic. Once this becomes second nature, you’ll find your conversations much more rewarding, and you’ll feel physically and emotionally balanced.

每次经历过一场喋喋不休而又话题不定的谈话后，你会有什么感觉？只怕是心跳加速、身体紧张、呼吸急促吧？下次跟人讲话，请试着保持专注集中：只关注当下的说笑，不要急着扯到下个话题。一旦养成娓娓而谈的习惯，你会发现对话越来越有意思，身心也越来越平衡。

8. Schedule unscheduled time.

留出计划外的时间

Carve out mini-retreats for yourself at least twice a week: a few hours of unscheduled time where you can do what you’re compelled to do, not what you feel you have to do. It’s a great way to allow your body and mind to recover from a stressful work week or hectic social gathering. During this time, do whatever you feel like doing in the moment, guilt-free.

每周至少给自己留两次调息时间：在这计划外的几个小时内，你可以暂时把计划的事情放在一边，去做自己内心渴望做的事情。这能使你的身心从压力重重的工作或热闹繁华的聚会中得到恢复。在这段时间，你只需尽情做自己想做的任何事情，完全没有任何忧虑。

9. Learn how to say no

学会拒绝

We’ve all been there: we automatically say yes to an invitation or request while our stomach screams, “No!” If in the moment you’re feeling overwhelmed and aren’t sure what to say, simply say, “I’ll have to get back to you.” This will give you time to make an informed decision that truly benefits your life. If you know you definitely don’t want to say yes, say no as quickly as you’d rip off a band-aid. Trust me: it gets easier, and the more you do it, the more others will respect your boundaries.

我们都有过这样的经历：每次遇到邀请或请求，嘴里不自觉地应承，心里却不情愿得要死。这种情况下，如果你感到不知所措，不确定该怎么答复，那就直接说：“我想想再答复你。”这样你可以作出恰当决定，以免影响到自己的生活。如果你当下就很不情愿，那就干脆找个借口拒绝掉。相信我：拒绝并不难，只要你经常拒绝，人们也会越来越尊重你的立场的。

10. Cry your fool head off

放声哭出来

Sometimes we want to cry, but the timing’s not right: either we’re at work or socializing, and by the time we’re alone the feeling has passed. I highly encourage you to watch a sad scene on a television show or in a movie to force your emotions back to the surface. When your manganese level is high, it causes anxiety, nervousness, irritability and aggression. When you cry, you lower your manganese level, elevating your mood and lowering stress.

有时我们明明想哭，但时机却不允许：当时我们或许在上班或聚会，等到独自一人时，想哭的冲动早已过去了。那我强烈建议你看场悲伤的剧情或电影，把情绪引诱出来。当身体锰含量过高，可能会引发焦虑、紧张、易怒和攻击性情绪。而哭出来则能降低锰含量，释放情绪、减轻压力。

What methods do you use to reduce stress?

你是用什么方法来减压的呢？